2. Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (g): Malicious aspects of Rudra

Rudra’s malicious nature is expressed by a number of attributes. As the slaughterer of enemies he is designated as Abhighnan.^[1]

Mahīdhara derives the term abhighnan as:

abhihanti śatrūnityabhighnan

Or one who always slay the enemies.^[2] Avabhedin^[3] because he splits the enemies.^[4] He is invoked as Ugra or fierce, Bhīma or terrible,^[5] Vyādhin^[6] or one who pierced the enemies.^[7] The terms ugra and bhīma are illustrated by Uvaṭa respectively as ugra udgūrṇaḥ and bhīmo bhīṣaṇaḥ.^[8] Since Rudra kills the one who remains in front, he is known as Agrevadha and Rudra is also called Dūrevadha as he slays the one standing far away.^[9] He is also praised as Hantṛ and Hanīyas,^[10] Śarva.^[11]

Mahīdhara remarks that—

śṛṇāti hinasti pāpamiti śarvastasmai namaḥ.^[12]

Here, it is said that reverence is paid to Śarva who kills or destroys all the sins.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

nama udguramāṇāya cābhighnate ca nama...|| Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 16.46

[2]:

Mahīdhara, Ibid.

[3]:

...namaḥ śūrāya cāvabhedine ca || Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 16.34

[4]:

avabhinatti ripūnnīcairvidārayatītyavabhedī tasmai namaḥ || Mahīdhara, Ibid.

[5]:

namaḥ śaṃgave ca paśupataye ca nama ugrāya ca bhīmāya ca...|| VS., 16.40

[6]:

Ibid., 16.18

[7]:

vidhyati śatrūniti vyādhī tasmai rudrāya namaḥ |Mahīdhara, Ibid.

[8]:

Uvaṭa, Ibid., 16.40

[9]:

agre puro vartamāno hantītyagrevadhaḥ tasmai | dūre vartamāno hantīti dūrevadhaḥ tasmai | Mahīdhara, Ibid., 16.40

[10]:

...namo’grevadhāya ca dūrevadhāya ca namo hantre ca hanīyase ca namo vṛkṣebhyo harikeśebhyo namastārāya || Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā,16.40

[11]:

...namo bhavāya ca rudrāya ca namaḥ śarvāya ca paśupataye ca namo nīlagrīvāya ca śitikaṇṭhāya ca || Ibid., 16.28

[12]:

Mahīdhara, Ibid.